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Trends In Monitoring Of Australia’S Threatened Birds (1990–2020): Much Improved But Still Inadequate, Simon J. Verdon, Robert A. Davis, Ayesha Tulloch, Sarah M. Legge, David M. Watson, John C. Z. Woinarski, G. Barry Baker, Joris Driessen, Hayley M. Geyle, Hugh Possingham, Stephen T. Garnett Jan 2024

Trends In Monitoring Of Australia’S Threatened Birds (1990–2020): Much Improved But Still Inadequate, Simon J. Verdon, Robert A. Davis, Ayesha Tulloch, Sarah M. Legge, David M. Watson, John C. Z. Woinarski, G. Barry Baker, Joris Driessen, Hayley M. Geyle, Hugh Possingham, Stephen T. Garnett

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Monitoring is vital to conservation, enabling conservation scientists to detect population declines, identify threats and measure the effectiveness of interventions. However, not all threatened taxa are monitored, monitoring quality is variable, and the various components of monitoring are likely to differ in their rates of improvement over time. We assessed the presence of monitoring and monitoring quality, using a range of metrics, for all Australia’s threatened bird taxa from 1990 to 2020 (four assessments spanning 30 years). We used our assessments to understand decadal trends in the number of taxa monitored; monitoring quality; and the groups that conduct monitoring. The …


Assessing Risks For Bovine And Zoonotic Tuberculosis Through Spatial Analysis And A Questionnaire Survey In Fiji – A Pilot Study, Jenny-Ann L. M. L. Toribio, Keresi Lomata, Sam Fullman, Aaron Jenkins, Elva Borja, Shumaila Arif, Jarrad Mckercher, David Blake, Anabel Garcia, Richard J. Whittington, Frank Underwood, Ben J. Marais Dec 2023

Assessing Risks For Bovine And Zoonotic Tuberculosis Through Spatial Analysis And A Questionnaire Survey In Fiji – A Pilot Study, Jenny-Ann L. M. L. Toribio, Keresi Lomata, Sam Fullman, Aaron Jenkins, Elva Borja, Shumaila Arif, Jarrad Mckercher, David Blake, Anabel Garcia, Richard J. Whittington, Frank Underwood, Ben J. Marais

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Mycobacterium bovis causes tuberculosis in cattle and when transmitted to humans typically causes extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB). Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) has a global distribution and is controlled in most countries to protect animal and public health. Recent studies revealed that bTB is established on dairy farms in Fiji where EPTB cases have been reported in people. The aims of this pilot investigation were to look for putative zoonotic TB (EPTB) cases in people and to evaluate practices that might contribute to the persistence and transmission of M. bovis between cattle and to humans. Existing data sets were shared between the Fiji …


Babesa Sewage Treatment Plant As A Vital Artificial Wetland Habitat For A Multitude Of Avian Species, Pelden Nima, Mahendra Timsina, Tenzin Jamtsho, Pema Khandu Jul 2023

Babesa Sewage Treatment Plant As A Vital Artificial Wetland Habitat For A Multitude Of Avian Species, Pelden Nima, Mahendra Timsina, Tenzin Jamtsho, Pema Khandu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study aimed to glean basic ecological aspects on diversity and abundance, temporal variation and guild composition of the birds at Babesa Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). The line transect method was used as the sampling technique from November 2021 to October 2022. A total of 80 species belonging to 58 genera, 29 families, and 11 orders were detected, of which three, namely, River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii, Falcated Duck Mareca falcata, and Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, are ‘Near Threatened’ with the remaining being ‘Least Concern’. The highest species richness was recorded in the winter (6.29), the highest species diversity in the …


Genomic Analysis Of Clostridioides Difficile Recovered From Horses In Western Australia, Natasza M. R. Hain-Saunders, Daniel R. Knight, Mieghan Bruce, David Byrne, Thomas V. Riley Jul 2023

Genomic Analysis Of Clostridioides Difficile Recovered From Horses In Western Australia, Natasza M. R. Hain-Saunders, Daniel R. Knight, Mieghan Bruce, David Byrne, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Clostridioides difficile poses an ongoing threat as a cause of gastrointestinal disease in humans and animals. Traditionally considered a human healthcare-related disease, increases in community-associated C. difficile infection (CDI) and growing evidence of inter-species transmission suggest a wider perspective is required for CDI control. In horses, C. difficile is a major cause of diarrhoea and life-threatening colitis. This study aimed to better understand the epidemiology of CDI in Australian horses and provide insights into the relationships between horse, human and environmental strains. A total of 752 faecal samples from 387 Western Australian horses were collected. C. difficile was isolated from …


Monitoring The Birds And The Bees: Environmental Dna Metabarcoding Of Flowers Detects Plant–Animal Interactions, Joshua P. Newton, Philip W. Bateman, Matthew J. Heydenrych, Joshua H. Kestel, Kingsley W. Dixon, Kit S. Prendergast, Nicole E. White, Paul Nevill May 2023

Monitoring The Birds And The Bees: Environmental Dna Metabarcoding Of Flowers Detects Plant–Animal Interactions, Joshua P. Newton, Philip W. Bateman, Matthew J. Heydenrych, Joshua H. Kestel, Kingsley W. Dixon, Kit S. Prendergast, Nicole E. White, Paul Nevill

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Animal pollinators are vital for the reproduction of ~90% of flowering plants. However, many of these pollinating species are experiencing declines globally, making effective pollinator monitoring methods more important than ever before. Pollinators can leave DNA on the flowers they visit, and metabarcoding of these environmental DNA (eDNA) traces provides an opportunity to detect the presence of flower visitors. Our study, collecting flowers from seven plant species with diverse floral morphologies, for eDNA metabarcoding analysis, illustrated the value of this novel survey tool. eDNA metabarcoding using three assays, including one developed in this study to target common bush birds, recorded …


A Review Of Methods For Detecting Rats At Low Densities, With Implications For Surveillance, Robert A. Davis, Philip J. Seddon, Michael D. Craig, James C. Russell Jan 2023

A Review Of Methods For Detecting Rats At Low Densities, With Implications For Surveillance, Robert A. Davis, Philip J. Seddon, Michael D. Craig, James C. Russell

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Invasive rats are the biggest threat to island biodiversity world-wide. Though the ecological impacts of rats on insular biota are well documented, introduced rats present a difficult problem for detection and management. In recent decades, improved approaches have allowed for island-wide eradications of invasive rats on small-medium sized islands and suppression on large islands, although both these still represent a formidable logistical and financial challenge. A key aspect of eradication or suppression and ongoing management is the ability to detect the presence of rats, especially at low densities. Here we review recent developments in the field of rat surveillance and …


Population Genetic Structure Associated With A Landscape Barrier In The Western Grasswren (Amytornis Textilis Textilis), Aline Gibson Vega, Michelle L. Hall, Amanda Ridley, Saul J. Cowen, Amy L. Slender, Allan H. Burbidge, Marina Louter, W. Jason Kennington Jan 2023

Population Genetic Structure Associated With A Landscape Barrier In The Western Grasswren (Amytornis Textilis Textilis), Aline Gibson Vega, Michelle L. Hall, Amanda Ridley, Saul J. Cowen, Amy L. Slender, Allan H. Burbidge, Marina Louter, W. Jason Kennington

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Dispersal patterns can dictate genetic population structure and, ultimately, population resilience, through maintaining gene flow and genetic diversity. However, geographical landforms, such as peninsulas, can impact dispersal patterns and thus be a barrier to gene flow. Here, we use 13 375 genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to evaluate genetic population structure and infer dispersal patterns of the Western Grasswren Amytornis textilis textilis (WGW, n = 140) in the Shark Bay region of Western Australia. We found high levels of genetic divergence between subpopulations on the mainland (Hamelin) and narrow peninsula (Peron). In addition, we found evidence of further genetic sub-structuring within …


Scat Dna As A Non-Invasive Method For Estimating The Abundance Of The Vulnerable Mala (Lagorchestes Hirsutus), Shannon Treloar, Cheryl Lohr, Anna J. Hopkins, Kym Ottewell, Shelley Mcarthur, Robert A. Davis Jan 2023

Scat Dna As A Non-Invasive Method For Estimating The Abundance Of The Vulnerable Mala (Lagorchestes Hirsutus), Shannon Treloar, Cheryl Lohr, Anna J. Hopkins, Kym Ottewell, Shelley Mcarthur, Robert A. Davis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Context: Population-monitoring programs often use direct (e.g. live capture or spotlighting) or indirect (e.g. scats sightings) observations to estimate population abundance. Such methods, however, are often inadequate for rare, elusive, or cryptic species due to the difficulty in achieving sufficient encounters or detection rates. The mala (Lagorchestes hirsutus), a small native Australian macropod, listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, is difficult to capture, susceptible to capture myopathy, and not easily sighted in their dense habitat; consequently, the population size cannot always be estimated. The use of molecular markers to identify individual genotypes from non-invasively collected samples is increasingly being used …


Corrigendum: Evolution, Ecology, And Zoonotic Transmission Of Betacoronaviruses: A Review, Herbert F. Jelinek, Mira Mousa, Eman Alefishat, Wael Osman, Ian Spence, Dengpan Bu, Samuel F. Feng, Jason Byrd, Paola A. Magni, Shafi Sahibzada, Guan K. Tay, Habiba S. Alsafar Jan 2023

Corrigendum: Evolution, Ecology, And Zoonotic Transmission Of Betacoronaviruses: A Review, Herbert F. Jelinek, Mira Mousa, Eman Alefishat, Wael Osman, Ian Spence, Dengpan Bu, Samuel F. Feng, Jason Byrd, Paola A. Magni, Shafi Sahibzada, Guan K. Tay, Habiba S. Alsafar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In the published article, there was an error in the legend for Figure 1 as published. The figure legend did not indicate that it has been adapted from Plowright et al. (2017). Copyright permission was obtained from Springer Nature to adapt Figure 1 from Plowright et al. (2017). The corrected legend appears below. Figure 1. Zoonotic risk distribution, pathway to spillover, and the multimodal role of the determinants of spillover. The zoonotic risk is demonstrated by the accumulated distribution of reservoir hosts and vectors that play a role in the pathway to spillover. The risk of spillover is determined by …


Further Investigation Of Lead Exposure As A Potential Threatening Process For A Scavenging Marsupial Species, D. J. Hutchinson, E. M. Jones, J. M. Pay, J. R. Clarke, Michael T. Lohr, J. O. Hampton Jan 2023

Further Investigation Of Lead Exposure As A Potential Threatening Process For A Scavenging Marsupial Species, D. J. Hutchinson, E. M. Jones, J. M. Pay, J. R. Clarke, Michael T. Lohr, J. O. Hampton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

There is a growing recognition of the harmful effects of lead exposure on avian and mammalian scavengers. This can lead to both lethal and non-lethal effects which may negatively impact wildlife populations. Our objective was to assess medium-term lead exposure in wild Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii). Frozen liver samples (n = 41), opportunistically collected in 2017–2022, were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine liver lead concentrations. These results were then used to calculate the proportion of animals with elevated lead levels ( > 5 mg/kg dry weight) and examine the role of explanatory variables that may have …


Lipidomic Features Of Honey Bee And Colony Health During Limited Supplementary Feeding, Clara E. Castaños, Mary C. Boyce, Tiffane Bates, A. Harvey Millar, Gavin Flematti, Nathan G. Lawler, Julia Grassl Jan 2023

Lipidomic Features Of Honey Bee And Colony Health During Limited Supplementary Feeding, Clara E. Castaños, Mary C. Boyce, Tiffane Bates, A. Harvey Millar, Gavin Flematti, Nathan G. Lawler, Julia Grassl

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Honey bee nutritional health depends on nectar and pollen, which provide the main source of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids to individual bees. During malnutrition, insect metabolism accesses fat body reserves. However, this process in bees and its repercussions at the colony level are poorly understood. Using untargeted lipidomics and gene expression analysis, we examined the effects of different feeding treatments (starvation, sugar feeding and sugar + pollen feeding) on bees and correlated them with colony health indicators. We found that nutritional stress led to an increase in unsaturated triacylglycerols and diacylglycerols, as well as a decrease in free fatty acids …


Using Intervention Analysis To Evaluate The Trends In Release Rates Of Recreational Fisheries Following Extensive Management Changes, Brett Crisafulli, Ebenezer Afrifa-Yamoah, Ute Mueller, Karina Ryan, David Fairclough, Johnny Lo Jan 2023

Using Intervention Analysis To Evaluate The Trends In Release Rates Of Recreational Fisheries Following Extensive Management Changes, Brett Crisafulli, Ebenezer Afrifa-Yamoah, Ute Mueller, Karina Ryan, David Fairclough, Johnny Lo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Changes to management of a fisheries resource are often required to ensure ongoing sustainability. However, such changes can sometimes lead to unintended effects such as increased release rates and associated post-release mortality. These effects may be highly variable between species and areas. Recreational fishing management changes were introduced on the west coast of Australia in 2009/10 to recover stocks of demersal scalefish. Key changes included reducing mixed species bag limits across management zones and increasing the minimum size limit for one species in some management zones. The restrictive catch limits resulted in increased release rates of key demersal species. However, …


Status Of Barking Owl Ninox Connivens In South-West Australia, Robert A. Davis, Leo Joseph, Ronald E. Johnstone Sep 2022

Status Of Barking Owl Ninox Connivens In South-West Australia, Robert A. Davis, Leo Joseph, Ronald E. Johnstone

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Barking Owl Ninox connivens has two recognised subspecies in Australia: N. c. connivens and N. c. peninsularis. N. c. connivens currently includes the isolated south-west Australian population, which is separated from eastern populations by the Nullarbor Plain and from N. c. peninsularis to the north. N. c. connivens in south-west Australia occurs from near Perth in the north, east to Northam and south-east to Katanning and Bremer Bay; it has been treated subspecifically as N. c. addendaMathews, 1912, but this name is not currently in use. Given concern over the apparent rarity of the south-west Australian population, we sought to …


A Most Unusual Tail: Scoliosis In A Wild Australian Skink, And Reported Incidences And Suggested Causes Of Similar Malformations Amongst Squamates, Philip W. Bateman, Robyn Benken, Ryan Glowacki, Robert A. Davis May 2022

A Most Unusual Tail: Scoliosis In A Wild Australian Skink, And Reported Incidences And Suggested Causes Of Similar Malformations Amongst Squamates, Philip W. Bateman, Robyn Benken, Ryan Glowacki, Robert A. Davis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Malformations of vertebrae potentially occur across many taxa, particularly in Testudines, which are susceptible to kyphosis (dorsoventral curvature of the spine). Such malformations may stem from either genetic or environmental origins, and their prevalence and associated impacts on survival remain poorly understood. However, scoliosis (sideways curvature of the spine) is rarely reported and especially so in wild lizards. We report here on the first known case of scoliosis in a wild Australian lizard, the skink Ctenotus fallens, from Perth, Western Australia. This occurrence is the first of 805 individuals captured in a natural population monitored annually for the past 11 …


Genetic Insights Into The Introduction History Of Black Rats Into The Eastern Indian Ocean, Vicki A A. Thomson, Andrew S. Wiewel, Russell Palmer, Neil Hamilton, Dave Algar, Caitlyn Pink, Harriet Mills, Ken P. Aplin, Geoffrey Clark, Atholl Anderson, Michael B. Herrera, Steven Myers, Terry Bertozzi, Philip J. Piper, Hitoshi Suzuki, Steve Donnellan Jan 2022

Genetic Insights Into The Introduction History Of Black Rats Into The Eastern Indian Ocean, Vicki A A. Thomson, Andrew S. Wiewel, Russell Palmer, Neil Hamilton, Dave Algar, Caitlyn Pink, Harriet Mills, Ken P. Aplin, Geoffrey Clark, Atholl Anderson, Michael B. Herrera, Steven Myers, Terry Bertozzi, Philip J. Piper, Hitoshi Suzuki, Steve Donnellan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Islands can be powerful demonstrations of how destructive invasive species can be on endemic faunas and insular ecologies. Oceanic islands in the eastern Indian Ocean have suffered dramatically from the impact of one of the world’s most destructive invasive species, the black rat, causing the loss of endemic terrestrial mammals and ongoing threats to ground-nesting birds. We use molecular genetic methods on both ancient and modern samples to establish the origins and minimum invasion frequencies of black rats on Christmas Island and the Cocos-Keeling Islands. We find that each island group had multiple incursions of black rats from diverse geographic …


Do Bird Communities Differ With Post-Fire Age In Banksia Woodlands Of South-Western Australia?, Robert A. Davis, Leonie E. Valentine, Michael D. Craig Jan 2022

Do Bird Communities Differ With Post-Fire Age In Banksia Woodlands Of South-Western Australia?, Robert A. Davis, Leonie E. Valentine, Michael D. Craig

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Prescribed fire is a widespread management practice in fire-prone ecosystems that can have significant effects on fauna. To inform the development of appropriate prescribed burning regimes, we explored bird responses to time since fire in threatened Banksia woodlands in south-western Australia. We used area searches to estimate bird densities on 20 plots ranging from 1 to 26 years post fire. Fire had no significant effect on the overall bird community or any foraging guilds and there was no clear post-fire succession. Of the 26 frequently occurring species analysed, only two showed responses to fire, with yellow-rumped thornbills more abundant in …